For the Love of Pets

There’s no love quite like the love of an animal. Pets love us unreservedly in a way that’s hard to find in any other relationship. How many of your bad days have been brightened by returning home to the eager greeting of your furry friend?

Swedish scientists found that pet owners are happier because just looking at our pets causes our brains to release oxytocin, which makes the human brain feel joy and decreases stress hormones. The National Center for Health Resources goes so far as to say that the social support provided by pets is akin to unconditional love. No wonder so many people feel a deep emotional connection with their pets!

Our obsession with pets isn’t unique to this society or time: Beloved animals have been favored in works of art for millennia, from the Ancient Egyptians through the Renaissance. Dogs and cats have been found buried in tombs alongside their owners in the furthest reaches of Siberia all the way to the Great Pyramids. While many things have changed from culture to culture throughout the ages, a special affection for domesticated animals has remained pretty much constant.

These days, we’re unlikely to commission a master sculptor to recreate our pets in stone (but only because it’s impractical, not because we wouldn’t love a life-size statue of Bruno). However, we show our love in a lot of other ways. We celebrate their birthdays, order them puppacinos at Starbucks, put them in festive sweaters at the holidays, and include them in family portraits.

The indescribable human/pet bond is probably why our Project Pet classes are our most popular class type. Project Pet is a special paint and sip class for pet lovers to create a personal work of art featuring their four-legged (or two-legged or multi-finned) best friend. Our guests ask about these events constantly, and the classes tend to sell out whenever they’re offered.

It’s a fun to honor your pet and the joy they bring to your life. Many people also find Project Pet to be a deeply meaningful way to memorialize a furry family member who has crossed the rainbow bridge.

Here’s how it works: After you sign up, you’ll email us a high-resolution digital image of your pet and we’ll transfer it onto a canvas ready for you to complete at your painting class. Our artists will walk you through all the details – from capturing the gleam in their eyes to accentuating every strand of fluff.

Want to paint your pet? Check your local studio’s schedule to see when the next Project Pet painting class happens in your area. Most studios offer them about once every four to six weeks. Find a studio: https://www....com/locations

P.S. If you're an animal rescue organization or other nonprofit working to improve animals' lives, talk to your local studio(s) to find out how a Project Pet / Painting It Forward fundraising event can help you raise donations and connect with the community.